Into the Wild
by Arigatomina
Summary: The GW characters are cats living in a pet shop, but this shop is really a cover for scientific research. What happens when a certain American cat gets thrown in and he knows how to open the cages? Find out... Yaoi, will be 1x2, 3x4, 13x6x5
1. Default Chapter

Category: AU, Gundam Wing, based on the book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, won't follow the plot much, but that's where the idea came from  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 13x6x5, I'm not sure about the girls yet  
Warnings: shonen ai, won't be much more than this in the fic, be warned, the characters are *CATS*, not people, but they have the same characteristics  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Complete Archive: www.fanfiction.net  
  
Into the Wild  
  
Part 1  
  
"Mommy, I want this one!"   
  
Bottom lip sticking out, the six year old boy stomped his foot as his mother eyed the cat warily. Fine black fur was standing straight up on the young cat's back and it was crouched as if prepared to pounce on any hand foolish enough to enter it's pen. Looking at the other two cats in the pen, she tried to divert her son before he could throw a full-fledged tantrum. "What about this one?" she asked, pointing to the large cat curled in the corner of the pen. It had long white fur and lovely light blue eyes. It was also much less dangerous looking than the young cat that was currently growling at them.  
  
"No!" Face turning red as he screamed, the boy shoved the glass covering back before his mother could stop him and was reaching into the pen. With a shout, his mother barely managed to grab him before the black cat could latch onto his hand, long teeth bared as it hissed. Still crying, the boy was drug away from them and, after an apology to the attendant who quickly replaced the lid, out of the store.  
  
Sniffing at the people's retreat, the cat moved to the back of the pen, curling in a ball and by all appearances, going to sleep. Rolling his eyes, the attendant shoved the pen, glaring at the three occupants. "You'd better straighten up, or you'll never get sold." The black cat didn't twitch so much as a whisker.  
  
* * *  
  
"You know, we've had this shop for two months now and we haven't sold a single cat. I don't know what to do." Sighing, the man sat down at a table in the back of the store.   
  
Shaking his head, the attendant glared at the door. "They're rotten pets, no one wants them. I say we switch to dogs and scrap those flea-bags."  
  
"What I don't understand is why the owner chose *those* cats. I've never seen such a collection of bad tempered felines."  
  
"Well, he doesn't seem to mind the fact that we're not selling. So long as I get paid every week, that's all that matters." Standing as a knock sounded on the back door, the young man moved, groaning when he saw who it was. "Not *another* one..." Taking the cage, he gestured for the woman to enter. "What's the story on *this* one?"  
  
"He's an absolute nuisance. Every time someone buys him, they bring him back within a week. It seems he has a habit of getting on everybody's nerves."  
  
"And the boss sends him here? That guy's got no sense."  
  
"Hey, watch it." Smiling at the woman, the man gave a glare at the attendant before sending her to the door. "You tell the boss we'll set him up with the others." Smiling again as she raised an eyebrow, he shut the door after her, slamming the cage down on the table as he eyed the newest addition. "Great. Where'll we put him?"  
  
"Who cares?" the attendant groaned, shoving the cage and raising an eyebrow when the cat made no sound, rocking slightly before laying still. "What's wrong with it?" Grabbing the handle of the cage, he shook it roughly, watching the cat as it was thrown about, not lifting its head. Opening the lid, he was about to prod it when it suddenly leapt out onto the table, long tail swiping back and forth rapidly as its oddly violet eyes sparked.   
  
"Shit! Get it back in there quick!" Shoving the attendant aside, the man grabbed the cat by the scruff of it's long hair and shoved it back into the cage, cursing as he received a series of long scratches for his efforts. "I know just the place for this one." Eyes narrowing, the man smirked as he looked from his bloody arm to the feline. "Come on, I'll throw this one in with the trouble-maker and we can go grab a beer."  
  
"Um, you sure that's a good idea? He may not be alive in the morning."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm sure he'll be *just* fine."  
  
* * *  
  
Hissing as his cage was tipped and he was dumped unceremoniously into a wood-chip-covered pen, Duo glared up at the humans. Getting to his feet, he watched the men cross the room, shutting off the lights. It wasn't until he heard the back door's bolts being drawn that he looked through the glass walls at the other cats. He was about to move for a closer look when he heard a rustling behind him. Turning quickly, he crouched as his eyes narrowed to slits, peering into the darkness of the back of the cage. A glint reached him, eyes the only thing visible. Blinking, he tilted his head before giving a cat's imitation of a grin. "Hi! Name's Duo, how ya doin?" Not receiving an answer, he took a step forward.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."  
  
Duo halted and turned to look across the isle, eyes catching on a cat in the corner. "Why not?"  
  
"Heero's not the friendly type." Blinking large pale blue-green eyes, a small pale yellow cat moved forward, close to the glass. Giving a small smile, he sat, tail curled around his feet. "Don't worry though, leave him alone and he won't hurt you."  
  
Frowning, one ear cocked back, Duo shook his head. "What's your name?"  
  
"Quatre," came the soft response.  
  
"Well, Quatre, I *am* the friendly type." Grinning, Duo turned back, eyes now taking in a dark shape as he crouched facing the cat. Tail twitching, he batted a paw at him, leaping back when a dark brown clawed arm shot out at him, accompanied by a low growl. "Be nice," Duo purred, tail swiping back and forth faster.  
  
"Omae o korosu..."  
  
Blinking, Duo tilted his head. "What's that mean? Oh, I get it. You don't speak English?" Not getting a response, he sniffed. "Fine, there are other ways to communicate." Grinning, he swiped a paw at him again, watching the dark form carefully.  
  
"You leave Heero alone!"  
  
Turning at the call, he was caught in the side when Heero pounced on him. Grinning up at glaring cobalt blue eyes, he stretched his neck as he sniffed at him. "Got a girl protecting you? That's hardly fair."  
  
"You just leave him alone."  
  
Ignoring the female voice, Duo brushed his face against the thick fur at Heero's neck, grinning when those eyes widened and he jumped off him quickly. Purring deep in his throat, Duo got to his feet. "What's the matter? Don't want to play?"  
  
Ignoring him, the cat turned and moved to the back of the cage, curling up.  
  
Following him, Duo paused when the head lifted, a low hiss reaching him. Purring louder, Duo moved to his side, one paw pushing on his shoulder as Heero's eyes widened in shocked disbelief. Smirking, Duo sat down, both front paws lying on Heero's back as he waited to see what the dark cat would do.  
  
Glaring, Heero growled deep in his throat, claws extending as his body grew tense. "Get off me *now*."  
  
"Why?" Duo asked, resting his head on one arm as he smiled at those furious eyes. "You smell nice."  
  
Eyes narrowing, Heero shoved the cat away, getting to his feet and stalking to the other corner of the pen.   
  
"Heero? What is he doing? You leave him alone! You hear me?"  
  
Glaring, Duo looked around until he spotted the female. She had long tan fur and light blue eyes, and she was glaring at him from the pen beside them, her fur raised. "Why should I listen to you? We're going to be sharing a house until I can get out of here so he has to learn to get along."  
  
"You can't bully my Heero!" Hissing, she got as close as she could to the glass. "I won't let you."  
  
Glancing at the dark-haired cat, Duo frowned. "Was I bullying you? Sorry, I was just playing." Sighing, he moved to the side of the pen, standing on his hind legs as he scraped his claws against the seam of the sliding glass lid.   
  
"What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Ignoring the question, Duo twisted his body till his shoulders were pressed against the glass as his claws curved into the crack. Pulling, he hissed from the pain in his claws as the glass slowly slid back an inch. Shoving his paws through, he pushed again, freezing when Heero suddenly joined him. Grinning, he opened the lid easier with the help, leaping through the crack as soon as it was wide enough.   
  
"How the *hell* did you do that?"  
  
Turning, he saw a black cat watching him, dark eyes glaring daggers. "I learned that one a long time ago. There's no door or cage I can't get open." Giving a sharp cry as Heero jumped up beside him, inadvertantly landing on his tail, Duo sniffed, licking the abused appendage as he frowned at the dark brown cat. "That hurt."  
  
Eyes wide as he watched the small pink tongue lap at that long tail, Heero didn't answer. It wasn't until Relena called out that he blinked, tearing his eyes away from Duo's long golden-brown fur. "I don't know why I didn't think of this before."  
  
"Heero! Save me, Heero," the female called, her tail swiping happily as she smiled at him. "You're so wonderful. I knew you'd escape eventually."  
  
"Hey! I'm the one who knew how to open the door." Glaring at the cat, Duo sniffed. Then he stood and his eyes moved around the room, looking at its occupants. There were quite a few of them, and they were all watching him with very wide eyes. "You guys never tried to esape before?"  
  
"We're cats," one of the males said smoothly, shaking his reddish-brown fur as he got to his feet. "Our lives are designed so we are pets. What good would it do for us to escape?"  
  
"What an attitude." His nose twitched, and Duo suddenly hopped onto the floor, not looking back as he padded to where the pale cat was. He sat for a moment, then smiled up at him. "Hey, Quatre. Want out for a while? Get some exercise?"  
  
"Please." Quatre purred softly as the long-haired cat quickly hopped onto his cage, and he tried to repeat Duo's move as the lid was pushed back. "Thank you," he said quickly, then he jumped to the floor and nearly ran across the room, leaping onto another glass cage.   
  
Duo watched for a moment, then he moved sharply when another feline leapt up beside him. He hadn't even noticed her, as she'd been curled in the back. She too had long fur, and it was almost the same color as Quatre's. "Hi there."  
  
"Dorothy," she said quickly as she slowly stretched her limbs one at a time.  
  
Scrambling at the glass, Quatre's pur grew louder when the lid slowly moved back. Then he was twining himself around the tall cat that joined him. "Trowa..."  
  
His green eyes glinted, and Trowa ducked his head, rubbing his cheek against the pale cat's neck before he forced himself to move back. His sister was frowning at him, and he whispered in Quatre's ear as he knew she wouldn't approve. "Let's go over there, all right?"  
  
"Of course." Following him, Quatre nearly ran until they were sheilded behind the cashier's desk.  
  
Duo stared as loud purring filled the too quiet room, and he would have flushed if he could. As it was, he couldn't help but grin. Then a loud wailing had him tipping his ears back in distaste.  
  
"Heero! Save me!" Relena's eyes were narrowed, and it was obvious she was angry.  
  
"Maybe if you shut up, he would," Hilde spat, standing as she shoved the female aside with her shoulder. Stretching out, she tried to force the glass back as the strange cat had, but she wasn't strong enough. "Why don't you help yourself and help me?" she asked Relena angrily.  
  
"But Heero..."  
  
The cat in question was on the other side of the room, crouched over Wufei's cage and Hilde shook her head. "He's busy. Hop to it, now!"  
  
"I really don't see the point of gettting out," Treiz murmured as he nodded to Heero before joining him on the top of his cage. "After all, it isn't like we can go anywhere. And how will we get the lids back on?"  
  
"Finally! I can get away from these....cats!" He said it as if he wasn't included in the category, and Wufei moved away quickly.   
  
"He's being fiesty," Zechs said slowly, following the black cat's progress before glancing to the tall cat beside Heero. "Shall we?"  
  
"Absolutely," Triez purred.   
  
Duo stared as the two cats suddenly chased the black one, and it wasn't until they were out of sight behind one of the cages that he blinked. The loud hisses and growls didn't sound good, but there was also plenty of purring. "Damn. You guys need to get out more."  
  
"How is it that you knew how to get out?" Frowning, Heero sat on the empty cage as he looked across the aisle to where Duo was.   
  
"Hey, I'm a street cat. I don't take to cages. I'm used to running away from bored teenagers, this place is nothing."  
  
"Then why are you here? Obviously they caught you."  
  
Duo smiled at Dorothy, then glanced to Heero again. "I kinda attacked someone and they got mad. I've been shipped all over since then. But I think I'm ready to go back to the streets. It's no fun being sold."  
  
"I wouldn't know," Dorothy smirked, raising her head as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "I've never been sold. I just scratch whoever thinks about it and--end of story."  
  
"Yeah, me too. Though I tried being nice until I get a chance to escape. Problem is, I keep getting bought by people with brats. They're monsters." The female nodded, and he sighed.  
  
"So you're going to go back to the streets?" Hilde asked, her and Relena finally having gotten the door open. It would have been easier, but the female wasn't much help. Too bad her pride kept her from asking for assistance. "What's it like?"  
  
"Well, it's hard," Duo admitted, glancing over at the black-haired female. "I was actually thinking about trying out the country or something. I mean, it's not like I can't catch my own food and it would be nice to live away from people."  
  
"You'd have to get out of this store first," Heero said slowly, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "Can you?"  
  
"No problem. Hey, you guys wanna escape?" His question was directed to *all* of the room's occupants, and he hoped it carrried to those who were currently busy. All he got was glares, and he assumed their unspoken message was that his question had been a stupid one. "Right. Well, let me look at the locks."  
  
* * *  
  
"So how long before we test them?" The man frowned as he glared down the length of his long, pointed nose. His gray hair fell forward over an eye, the rest of it hanging down in a circular manner that resembled a mushroom. "The new one hasn't shown any changes, and we gave him twenty cc's."  
  
"Be patient," Doctor J said smoothly, reading the report. "Our men have said that they are acting very hostile toward potential owners. That could be a sign of increased intelligence."  
  
"Or they're bad pets. We should have just kept them in the lab. This subterfuge is infuriating."  
  
"Now, now. We can't take the risk." J glared for a moment before setting the paper down on his desk. "The authorities are watching us too closely. If they found we were experimenting again, they'd have us arrested. No, this is the perfect plan. By mixing the chemicals in their feed, we can have our results and the blame, if we're caught, goes to the fake *owner* of the store. It's ingenious."  
  
"You just say that because it was your idea," the other man said snidely. "Fine, but how long before we can run actual tests?"  
  
"We don't want to be premature," J said, "it's only been a couple of months. If we took the risk of running them now, and the drugs haven't taken effect yet, we'd ruined our research. Give it another week, at least. Then we'll know."  
  
"Fine."  
  
* * *  
TBC  
--notes--  
Well, what do you think? I know they aren't human, so there won't (thank God) be any lemons or anything, but there's plenty of shonen ai possible. If you're wondering, yes, they are all going to stick together. It will follow the story *that* much at least.   
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Part 2

Author's Note: I promise the next part will be longer.  
Category: Anime, Yaoi, Gundam Wing, AU  
Warnings: short part, shonen ai, purring, hissing, snapping, fur-blowing, nuzzling, and all those adorable cat mannerisms   
Pairings: 2+1, 3x4, 13x6x5, will be 1x2, still not sure about the girls but possibility of future yuri  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
www.fanfiction.net under Arigatomina  
  
Into the Wild  
  
Part 2  
  
The door was locked with bolts on top and bottom, but it didn't really matter. A metal grate closed outside the door, so even if they managed to get the bolts drawn, they didn't have a key. Duo stared at it for a minute or two before turning on his heels and padding off to the back room. He remembered the door the men had brought him through earlier. There hadn't been a metal grate outside that one. The others followed, their light steps barely audible on the waxed floor. Skidding to a stop, Duo rested on his back legs and looked up at the door. Only a turn-style lock, nothing at all. He would have grinned, but it was much too high to jump to. With another turn, he walked around the table, staring at the floor. Finally, he stopped in front of the group, his ears tilted forward hopefully.  
  
"Well?" Hilde asked, her tail wisping the floor. "Can you open it?"  
  
"Sure," Duo grinned, "but I can't reach. Now if we could move that table..."  
  
"I thought *you* were going to unlock the doors," Relena reminded him, her nose twitching in the air. "You never said anything about needing *our* help."  
  
"Oh come on," Duo muttered, glaring at her, "there's no way I could move that table all by myself. It would take all of us." The female's blue eyes narrowed and she tipped an ear back. "Fine, don't help-don't go, pretty even to me."  
  
"If we put our shoulders to the legs, maybe we can push it over to the door." Quatre darted to one of the legs, pressing his shoulder against it briefly before turning sideways. The table didn't move much, but a wide grin still broke out on his face. "Trowa?"  
  
"Right," Trowa said, glancing at Treize and Zechs. The two males nodded at him and they took positions, Heero moving to the other leg. With a few growls and a lot of effort, they managed to move the table about two feet before Quatre called for them to stop.   
  
The legs were square rather than circular, but the metal was hard pointed on the edges. Twisting his shoulders, Quatre sighed for a second before straightening. The other three males were watching him and he hurried to where Trowa was standing in the middle beneath the table. "I think we could get two on each leg," he said, his tail still sweeping. He couldn't remember ever being this excited. Heero tilted his head, the dark cat still pressed to one of the legs, and Quatre darted to him. Rising on his hind legs, he pressed his front paws against the square metal and pushed. A snicker sounded when his back feet slid on the slick floor and he sniffed, falling back and sending a glare at Wufei. "You try it."  
  
Wufei rose from his lazy seat on the tile, his ears tilting back as he lifted his head until his nose was aimed at the air above him. He was careful not to glance at Zechs or Treize, stepping directly to Trowa and nodding to the reddish-brown cat. It didn't take but a moment for him to mimic Quatre's stance, although Trowa was nearly two inches taller than Heero. And it only took a second for him to understand why the pale cat had slipped. He just couldn't get traction, his claws scraping uselessly against the linoleum. Glaring, he spread his toes, claws arched, and pushed again. If the others had been pushing, he was certain it would have been of some use. He had held his position for at least five seconds before he slipped back and nearly fell on Trowa's back. Jerking away, he gave Quatre a smirking gaze. "It just might work."  
  
"Great," Duo smiled, still seated near the door. "Then we just pair up."  
  
"Zechs and Treize are the strongest," Quatre said quickly, darting around the table legs again as he couldn't seem to sit still. The two older cats smiled at him and he nodded at their places before two of the legs. "Heero and Trowa would probably be next," he murmured, wincing when Wufei gave him a low hiss. "Wufei, you should stay there, you managed to do well despite Trowa's height." The black cat sniffed and turned away with a flick of his dark tail and Quatre smiled for a second before looking at Duo. "You think you could do like that with Zechs?"  
  
With a quick look to the white cat, Duo shrugged. He wondered what made the little cat choose the older one, but it didn't really matter much to him. "Sure."  
  
"Okay, then we just need one more for Treize." Quatre's eyes flicked to where the girls were seated together and his whiskers twitched when Dorothy stood immediately, the female's long tail held out behind her.  
  
"That would *have* to be me," Dorothy smirked, pale eyes glinting as she shot a disparaging look over the other females. Whether Hilde or Catherine wanted to help, she was definitely much stronger than either of them. Dark eyes turned to her and she lowered her head, ears tilted toward Treize. "I'll bet you've never been topped by a female before, have you."  
  
Duo choked for a second before falling onto his side, his eyes closed as he laughed. His paws curled for a moment and he had trouble gaining his feet again, Treize's surprised oath just making it worse. "That was good!" he managed, finally turning onto his belly. The dark-haired male was glaring at him and his tail flicked back and forth merrily. "Okay, then, positions everyone. And Dorothy? No messing with the guy right now. Wait till we get out for that." The female grinned at him and he dropped his head with another snicker. He had no idea if she were just playing, or seriously interested in Treize, but she'd managed to make his evening. With a lively step, he bounced to Zechs and rose onto his hind legs suddenly, the white male jerking in surprise. "Heh! Call me a circus cat," Duo grinned, balancing on his hind legs for a long moment before landing with his paws against the table leg.  
  
"Is there such a thing?"  
  
Duo blinked, glancing to where Trowa was. The tall cat was looking at him with wide eyes and he shook his head quickly. "I have no idea."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Okay, everybody," Quatre called, his voice still holding that excited note to it. He simply couldn't help himself. To think, if they managed to escape Trowa wouldn't be locked in a cage away from him anymore. And there *had* to be room in the country. Of course, he'd never been outside unless he was in a cage, so Quatre had no idea what the country was, but Duo had said he didn't take to cages, so he assumed there was plenty of space. The idea sounded wonderful. He hadn't run since he was a kitten, before he was sold for the first and only time. Like the other cats in the shop, he'd spent his life in a cage and the thought of running and space was enough for him to nearly shiver with excitement. Heero bumped his stomach and Quatre blinked at him, taken back by the strange look the cat was given him. Then he realized everyone was waiting for him and his ears flicked back in embarrassment. "Sorry, okay, let's all push together. If one person slips, we stop and try again." The dark blue-eyed cat nodded sharply and Quatre focused on the leg his paws were pressing against. "Okay...push!"  
  
The table scooted a few inches before both Quatre and Wufei slipped and they all paused. The ones using their shoulders flexed for a moment before they began again. It seemed to take forever, but Duo's loud cheer told them when they'd gone far enough.  
  
"That's it!" Duo grinned, landing on his feet and whirling away from Zechs. He took a quick sprint out from under the table before turning, his eyes on the flat surface above. With a running start, he jumped onto the table. The others moved so he could see them and he grinned. "Now watch this." A few of the males snorted at his bragging tone, but he didn't mind, his long tail lifting from the table. Walking to the edge, he rose on his hind legs and glanced down. The table was a few inches away from the door, but it was still close enough for him to reach the turn-bolt. Concentrating, he held his right leg stiff and focused as much of his weight as he could on his paw. The bolt turned with ease, nearly sending him flat against the door as his leg fell down. But he recovered with a slightly embarrassed smile and glanced back down to the others. Heero stepped forward and he shook his head quickly, his tail wrapping around his feet. "Don't bother to come up. As soon as I turn the doorknob, we'll have to move the table back again, at least enough for us to slip out." The dark-haired cat stared at him for a second before giving a sharp nod.   
  
Heero sat down again, his ears flicking back with irritation. It seemed the gregarious cat *wasn't* just a nuisance. But he didn't like not being involved in their escape, it made him feel worthless. Then again, Duo never could have moved the table on his own, the cat had been right about that. With a glare at his twitching tail, Heero calmed the eager spurt that rushed through him, nearly raising his fur. They weren't out yet, there was no point getting excited. His eyes flicked up again and he glared harder, his gaze held by Duo's sweeping tail. The cat was crouched near the edge of the table, his paws stretched through the crack between it and the door and Heero moved. A second later he was standing in front of the door, his head tilted back to see Duo's face peering down at him. But the cat wasn't looking at him so much as at the knob, paws pressed on either side of it. "What are you doing?"  
  
"It turns," Duo muttered, glaring at the knob when his paws slid again. If there was one thing he hated, it was trying to turn a doorknob. His gaze dropped for a second and he shook his head at Heero. "Hold on, I need some traction." The blue-eyed cat frowned at him and Duo sat on his heels, lifting a paw to his mouth.  
  
The long-haired cat was licking his paws with a fervor that rendered Heero immobile for nearly a minute. With a jerk, he managed to tear his gaze away and Heero slunk back a step, out of sight of that rapidly moving tongue. There was something unnerving about the cheerful cat and he didn't like it.  
  
His mouth was dry by the time he was done, but Duo sighed, staring at his wet paws. That had to be enough. Leaning down again, he pressed them against the knob, putting his weight on the right side of the circular piece of metal. And it turned, ever so slowly. The trick was pulling and Duo's eyes narrowed, catching the empty floor beneath him. "Heero? Hey, one of you guys get your paws under the door and pull, quick!" Dark fur abruptly filled the space and Duo sighed with relief, pressing harder on the knob until it turned halfway. "Now, pull!"  
  
There was barely enough space for his paws to get a grip beneath the door, but Heero managed. He was nearly laying on the floor and he twisted his head to the side when the tall wooden door moved closer to him. With a backward crouch, he pulled more until the door was touching the edge of the table. Something landed beside him and he glanced over, not too surprised to see Duo's grinning form. "Hn."  
  
"Great-great! That's it," Duo grinned, shoving his face against Heero's neck for a second before jumping back. It was a good thing his reflexes were fast or he'd have been caught by the male's sweeping claw. "Be nice," he commented, shuffling back a bit more. "We have to work together, have to move the table back." Dark blue eyes glared at him before Heero moved away and Duo sighed, tilting his head to the side. He'd always fallen for the ones that played hard-to-get.   
  
It didn't seem to take much time at all to move the table again, but then, they only had to push it a few inches before Duo called out for them to stop. Following him eagerly, Quatre paused behind the long-haired cat, his eyes glued to the black crack showing through the partially open door. Then Duo pressed into that crack and it widened slowly, revealing all the space he'd imagined, and more smells than he ever remembered having come into contact with. "Is that the country...?"  
  
"This?" Duo asked, his eyes wide as he paused in the doorway, his tail curling around his feet. "This is an alley. We're a long way from the country. But I know how to get there if you want to go with me." The blonde cat nodded, obviously distracted by the dark surroundings and Duo moved back further. "What are you guys waiting for? This is it, freedom."  
  
"My cage was cleaner than that," Treize commented, his head poking out the door so he could look over the dark area outside. Something shoved past him and his ears flicked back as he snapped at the black tail that brushed over his nose. Wufei gave a sharp hiss, barely getting away in time to keep from getting nipped. "Then again," Treize sniffed, his eyes flicking back to Zechs, "I can't exactly let *him* go running off by himself."  
  
"Of course not," Zechs purred, pressing past the brown-haired cat, his paws curling a bit on the hard cement beneath them. Treize was a step behind him and he sat down near Duo, watching as the others made their own tentative exits. He didn't know what this 'country' was that Duo had mentioned, but he didn't mind getting out of that cramped cage. And he'd been bored anyway. Escape was starting to sound like it might be an adventure.  
  
* * *  
TBC  
--notes--  
And...they're off! Yeah, gotta love the horse-races. Eh-hem! Anyway, adventure cometh in the form of a whole mess of cats trying to sneak through a small city...anyone thinking of 101 Dalmations, or is it just me? Yare, Yare...too many thoughts rushing through my brain, can't see straight, I'll shut up now. 


	3. Part 3

Author's Notes: This fic was inspired by 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nymh.  
Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yaoi, AU  
Warnings: shonen ai, humor, breath of sap  
Pairings: 1+2/2+1, 3x4, 13x6x5  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
  
Into the Wild  
  
Part 3  
  
Ears flat against her head, Dorothy arched her back and sniffed at the noxious odors wafting up from beneath her. Disgusting squishiness was oozing between her toes, and her voice was more of a growling hiss than anything else. "Explain to me again why we're standing in *this*."  
  
Hilde bristled, doing her best to keep her feet balanced on the side of a large shaded pickle jar. She did *not* want to think about the odd dark stuff that surrounded her. "Because it's dangerous out there," she reminded the pale female, her own voice a tad more patient. The large square thing reminded her enough of an open cage to wonder exactly what part of this 'freedom' was supposed to be so great. But Duo had sworn they'd be much safer waiting here, and it was only going to be a short wait. At least, he'd promised a short wait. The two cats had been gone for over twenty minutes. Feet landed on the jar behind her, and Hilde let out a muffled rowl as she nearly pitched off the side. "Quatre! Can't you be still for a single minute?!"  
  
Treize looked over from where he and Zechs had their own feisty friend pinned on a clear bit of black plastic bag. Quatre's head had fallen in a guilty pose and Treize smiled lazily at him. "He's just excited," he commented. Zechs nodded knowingly beside him, and Treize rubbed his cheek against Wufei's growling back. "Young ones have so much energy."  
  
An unintelligible threat garbled from the smaller black cat, his face nearly buried in the black plastic, what with the heavier cats holding him down. White paws resting just behind Wufei's ears, Zechs sighed, looking over to where Trowa was perched on a very narrow bit of wood. Whatever the brown cat was standing on stood up nearly a foot above the rest of the mess, but there wasn't room for anyone but Trowa on it. That didn't leave much option for the energy-stricken Quatre. The poor little yellow cat had been making quick, hopping rounds of the dumpster since they'd first jumped into it. Yawning slowly, Zechs caught Trowa's green-eyed gaze. "There's room over here if you want to pin him next to us," he offered helpfully.  
  
"Yes," Relena spat, bristling on a damp cardboard cereal box in the corner opposite the three males, "why don't all of you have a group orgy while we wait. I can't *believe* I'm stuck here with *you*." Her pale blue eyes flew to the dark star-splotched sky, and she mewled mournfully. "I should be out there protecting Heero from that fiend!"  
  
"You aren't the only one who doesn't like being stuck here," Catherine muttered. She was curled on a moldy-smelling but somehow dry bit of cloth, and she didn't bother to lift her head from where she'd hidden it in the curl of her front paws. "If he wants to run around like a kitten, let him. I don't even want to *hear* Trowa going over there with *those* three."  
  
Forcing his face away from the black plastic, Wufei managed a hiss. "You think *I* am to blame for *them*?!" he growled, his ears flattening against his head. He could feel a tongue cleaning his forehead and he let out an infuriated cry, struggling to shove the two heavier males off him. In the end, he was left with no option but to bury his face again. "Yrthnk mfnt tuh huvthese cits nme?!"  
  
A low chuckle rumbled Treize chest and he nuzzled the stiff black shoulders held down under his paws. "You're so cute when you mumble."  
  
Zechs smiled and lapped at the tip of one flattened black ear. "I agree." Sharp teeth managed to snap at him, but he shoved on his paws, pressing the smaller cat back into a sedate position. Treize tipped an ear at him.  
  
"Now, Wufei," Treize murmured, snuffling the black cat's stomach, "Don't make me force you to purr in front of the ladies."  
  
Dorothy's ears flew back and she twisted her face away. "Oh please! Can't you two forget your libidos for five minutes?! You are *so* pathetic."  
  
"For once," Relena sniffed, shooting the older cats a superior glare, "I agree with Dorothy. You are both immature and disgusting."  
  
"Now wait a second," Dorothy scowled, her pale eyes narrowing on the honey-colored female. "I never said it was disgusting. Just inappropriate considering we're all standing in this...guck. Besides that, we're supposed to be staying quiet so we don't attract any attention until Heero and Duo can find us a way out of this city. It's dangerous out there."  
  
"That's what Duo said," Quatre muttered, still hanging his head, "but we didn't see anyone. I don't know why we couldn't have all gone. I thought we'd have room to run and...well, run. We've been in here for so long..." His pale paws were a shadowy gray, and he lifted one, wincing at the nasty stuff on it. That was going to be very bad when it came time to clean it off. His ears and tail drooped lower at the thought. He should have just sat still like everyone else, even if he *was* overflowing with nervous energy. Something landed next to him, and he flinched, turning guilty eyes up to Trowa.  
  
"I've seen dogs," Trowa said slowly, his head lowered as he looked at Quatre's dirty feet. "It's a real threat. Even if there aren't many people out this late, dogs are very real." The pale cat was looking at him, obviously sorry to have bothered everyone with his excitement. With a nudge to Quatre's side, Trowa moved him over the filled garbage bag the other three males were on. Zechs smiled and moved his long white tail to make room for them, and Trowa pushed Quatre into a sitting position. "Just wait a little longer. You'll have all the time in the world to run, I promise."  
  
That sweet sentiment made Catherine huff against her paws. Not wanting to see anything if the two ended up being as bad as the other three, she curled into a tighter ball. The little pale cat hadn't been in the shop for *that* long, but he'd definitely managed to tie her normally impassive brother around his pretty little tail. While she wasn't exactly *against* the two of them, listening had a tendency to make her stomach churn. They were far too...sweet.  
  
Quatre tried to sit still, but his heightened nerves made his fur tremble with the restrained energy. The reddish brown cat was crouched, staring at his dirty feet, and he ducked his head, wrapping his pale blonde tail over the offending paws. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been dirty, and he couldn't help being embarrassed about it. Green eyes flicked up to him, Trowa's whiskers twitching in an odd look. The taller cat's head pushed between his front legs, and Quatre jerked back with wide eyes. "Trowa!"  
  
"No!" Hilde whimpered, ducking her head as well as she could on her precarious perch. "Not you, too..."  
  
"Why are all the males like that?" Dorothy muttered, shaking her head as she turned her face away from the sight.  
  
Trowa didn't comment, snuffling Quatre's fur for a second before twisting his head beneath one of the little cat's legs. It didn't take much to position a dirty paw over his own legs, and he set to cleaning it with a pained but meticulous manner. The pale cat tried to pull away with evident embarrassment, but he didn't get far before Treize so kindly lent a paw, turning so he lay half on Wufei, and half on Quatre. Trowa's ears tilted back a little at how comfortably the brown cat's head was resting on the little blonde's back, but he didn't argue.  
  
Fur rising in a mixture of mortification and sporadic anger, Quatre twisted his head back to glare at the heavy weight holding him down. It was bad enough Trowa thought he had to clean him without Treize hanging all over him. Pale blue-green eyes narrowing, Quatre let out a tiny hiss. "Get off."  
  
Hilde's dark head snapped around, her blue eyes very wide. "Did Quatre just *hiss*?" she asked, shock coating her voice. "Tell me Quatre didn't just hiss..."  
  
"I don't know," Dorothy admitted, still not looking, "but it *sounded* like him."  
  
"Of *course* he hissed," Relena spat, glaring at the group of males. "Who *wouldn't*, with *that* disgusting thing on him? I can't *believe* I'm in here with all of you."  
  
Catherine groaned, throwing a paw over her flattened ears. "Don't tell me what they're doing, please don't tell me what they're doing. There's a *reason* I'm not looking, so I'd appreciate not getting a verbal description of it."  
  
Dark fur rising a bit, Trowa frowned back at the reddish female, his tail curling around his hind feet. "I'm not doing *anything*," he informed her, embarrassment coursing through him.  
  
"He really isn't," Zechs commented, looking up from the damp black head he'd mostly licked clean. "Treize is the one holding Quatre down. All Trowa is doing is kissing his pretty little paws."  
  
Catherine's wail echoed in the dumpster, her fur bristling in dismay. "I *told* you not to *tell* me!"  
  
* * *  
  
Clawless paws were kneading his shoulder blades, and Heero growled quietly, throwing a glare over his shoulder. "Exactly *what* are we supposed to be doing?"   
  
There wasn't room for two cats to stand on the little cement section outside the window, but Duo had settled that easily enough. He'd simply hopped up behind Heero, with his front paws resting on the darker cat's back. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but obviously it wasn't a position Heero cared for. Whiskers twitching at the dark blue glare, Duo managed not to smile. He might have known the difficult cat wouldn't like being on bottom. "Sorry," he said softly, tilting his head. "I guess I should have jumped up first, right?"  
  
Something in the cat's twinkling violet eyes told him not to comment on that, and Heero's ears turned back dangerously. "Just tell me what you're looking for in there."   
  
They'd been walking for quite a while, sticking to the shadows beneath parked cars mostly. But Duo had darted out across the sidewalk when he spotted the bright sign hung before this building. Obviously it meant something to him, but Heero really didn't see anything inside that could possibly help them get away from the city. There were a bunch of men in the cloudy room, but humans couldn't help. They were supposed to be *avoiding* humans.  
  
"I'm looking for the right sort of person," Duo said, turning his eyes back to the room. "There aren't that many people in town this late, so it had to be a bar."  
  
"A bar?" Heero's eyes narrowed when the longhaired cat nodded vigorously, those paws pulling at his fur. "Stop that."  
  
Duo blinked big eyes and leaned down against the dark cat, confusion passing over his face. "Stop what, Heero? Don't you want me to find a way out of here for us? I won't look if you don't want me to." A low growl rumbled beneath him, but he pretended not to hear it, brushing his cheek against Heero's warm fur. "If you have a better idea-"  
  
"I meant stop playing with me," Heero hissed, his fur ruffling around his neck. "Just find whatever you're looking for."  
  
"I wasn't playing with you!" Ears flattening briefly, Duo managed to frown in disapproval. "You don't think very highly of me, do you. Well, take my word for it, Heero. When I *play* with you, you'll know it. I guarantee that you'll know it." The dark cat's nose was twitching, a hint of white fang flashing with the movement, and Duo straightened quickly. "Hm, I think we might have a winner in there somewhere. The way I see it, it would be much easier to hitch a ride to the country than it would be to try walking there. I know all about traveling, and there are far too many dangers for an alley cat. I can just *imagine* the problems with *eleven*. What we need, is either a hick with a truck, or a cat-lover."  
  
"You think you can get a *human* to help us?" Heero asked, disbelief making his fur still. "The entire *point* was to be free. You're going to get us locked up again."  
  
"No I'm not," Duo sniffed, frowning down at the cat. Arching his neck, he snuffled into Heero's ear, knowing very well how much the male would hate that. "Stop doubting me. Didn't I get you guys out of that shop? I know what I'm doing. We *have* to get a ride. If we tried walking there we'd get picked up and thrown in a pound. Or if we managed to avoid that, all it takes is one determined dog and a blind alley. Not to *mention* the bored teenagers who just *love* to catch cats and torture them in the sickest ways. Trust me, I'm not going to mess this up. I won't reveal myself unless I find the right type of person. And then, I'll just play nice long enough to get us out of here. Once we're in the country, we hightail it to the woods and that's it. Freedom."  
  
"How do you know if it's the 'right' person?" Heero glowered, his ears now flattened against his head. He wasn't angry so much as determined that he wouldn't leave himself in a position to let the idiot blow in his ears again. He'd never felt *anything* so annoying as that simple move. Even having the irritating cat massaging his shoulders was preferable to air blown in his ear.  
  
"Well," Duo murmured, his eyes moving over the smoky bar, "like I said it's either a hick with a truck, or a cat-lover. Country people don't come to town this late unless they're going to an all-night bar, as far as I know. But they're usually pretty easy to spot." The dark brown cat was frowning at him, and he nodded toward the window. "See that old guy by the bar, the one without any hair?" Heero nodded. "He's a hick. Chances are he has a truck somewhere nearby that we can jump into. If so, we won't even have to reveal ourselves. We just hide in the back and enjoy the ride."  
  
"And if he doesn't have a truck?"  
  
"Then he's out," Duo said, jerking his head so his whiskers brushed the glass. "But that's fine, too, because there's a cat-lover right *there*." He directed Heero's gaze to a tall dark-haired man seated at a small table not too far from the window. The man in question was making an odd face, but Duo recognized it as a pout. "He's our man."  
  
"How do you know?" Heero frowned, staring at the human. The man was sipping something, and Heero's eyes narrowed as he shifted on the ledge. He had to press closer to Duo, but he managed to see the other side of the table. "He isn't alone. Even if you're right about him liking cats, his partner might not."  
  
Duo's ears edged back a bit as he looked at the other male, taking in his disapproving frown. "I hate to admit it, but you might be right. He doesn't look very nice. I bet he's a dog-person." This human looked much younger than the other one, but his scowl was rather fierce. It made the marked 'cat-lover' pout even worse. "But the cat-lover's older," he said hopefully, his ears easing forward again. "Just look, the younger one isn't winning against *that* pout."  
  
"How can you tell he's pouting?" Heero hadn't spent much time actually observing humans, and he was confused by how easily Duo seemed able to read them. "How do you know so much about humans?"  
  
"I told you," Duo sniffed, staring at the two men, "I've been around. Those are our men, without a doubt." He blinked for a second, hesitating as he looked down at the soft brown fur his paws were buried in. "Hate to let you go, but we'd better hurry. They may not stay much longer. You go get the others and I'll stall them if they try to leave before you get back."  
  
"What are you thinking?" Heero frowned, turning his head back on the bright-eyed cat. "They won't take all of us with them, even if that one *does* like cats."  
  
"Trust me," Duo smiled, rubbing his face against Heero's neck. The dark cat tensed with a warning growl, and he pulled back, hopping to the sidewalk. "Just go get them, and hurry. No matter how cute I act, I won't be able to stall them for very long. And warn them not to growl when they get here. We have to look *cute*." Dark doubtful blue eyes blinked slowly at him, and Duo preened, lapping at a raised paw. "I bet you look great when you're being 'cute.' Can't *wait* to see that."  
  
Whiskers twitching, Heero finally settled into a glare as he hopped down from the window. Duo flicked his tail at him, and he sniffed. "Baka."  
  
"Right," Duo smirked, jerking his tail away when he saw a hint of Heero's claws, "Hide behind the language barrier. I already told you, there are other ways to communicate." The dark cat bristled, but he waved a paw at him. "Get going, we can 'play' later." For a moment it didn't look like Heero would go, but the dark cat finally turned, darting off into the shadowy path they'd taken. Hopefully Heero wouldn't get lost. Duo's tail curled around him as he blinked at that thought. Heero had better *not* get lost, or all those cats would be pretty angry about losing this chance. He'd never been around so many cats, but Duo rather liked the idea of them needing his help. It made his fur bush up with satisfaction. A flick of his tail later, he hopped back to the window to scope out his targets.  
  
They really were rather pretty for humans, at least compared to the ones Duo had seen. The dark-haired one had bright eyes, a nice violet shade that dozens of puddles had told Duo were the same color as his own. His hair wasn't that long, but it was somewhere near the shade of Heero's fur, a nice burnt brown with hints of red mixed in. Tail curling around him as he settled against the window, Duo sighed. He'd never really appreciated human looks, but he did like that one's hair. And he was confident the 'cat-lover' wouldn't mind him brushing against it as much as Heero did. That cat really knew how to play hard-to-get. Thinking about his own flirtatious teasing on the way to the bar, Duo sniffed into a smile. He was going to get that cat, one way or another.  
  
His tall target caught his eye, and Duo tensed for a second before relaxing again. The human was just getting another drink from the woman walking around the room. She moved to offer something to the other human, and Duo's ears shifted back when the younger one scowled darker. That human was an angry one. He could practically feel it in his rising fur. After a lifetime of avoiding that type of human, he could read them very well. The shorter human had scowled since he first spotted him. Aside from that, Duo was actually surprised by the human's looks. He had the biggest eyes he'd ever seen on a human. They were almost frighteningly wide, and a very bright green color that reminded him a little of Trowa. Some humans did have big eyes, but Duo had never seen one with eyes that glowed so much like a cat's. It was unnerving. If the young human hadn't had hair the same pale honey color of Relena's fur, he'd have been freaked out by the similarity to Trowa. He was thinking about those odd eyes so much that he nearly fell off the window ledge when they suddenly turned to look right at him.  
  
That wasn't supposed to happen! Duo's shoulders hunched, and he stared back at those unnervingly big green eyes, frozen in place. He hadn't meant for either of them to notice him, but if one had it was supposed to be the cat-lover. This could ruin everything. His fur was rising with an odd creeping fear, and Duo's ears flattened when the young human stood slowly, still staring at him. And something strange happened in those bright eyes. They sparkled. And that seemingly permanent scowl smoothed away into a gentle frown. Duo blinked. Suddenly the human looked like a child, young and confused, and much less like a cat-hating dog-lover. That rising panic eased, and Duo shifted on the sill, not sure what to think. The human had moved to sit at the bench next to the window, with only the glass separating them. Despite his seemingly set plans, Duo wasn't sure what to make of it. Then the older, dark-haired human followed, and Duo remembered the plan. The moment the violet-eyed man sat down, Duo switched into 'cute' mode.  
  
Blinking soulful eyes at the tall man, Duo tilted his head, doing his best impression of a sad little cat all alone in the world. It wasn't much of a stretch, if truth be told, but he rarely used the look. And even though it was just what he'd hoped for, Duo nearly winced when the violet-eyed man's face fell into a pitying expression. Humans were so predictable. Sniffing as if the man were his long-lost owner, Duo touched his nose to the window, his tail high in a hopefully hesitant manner. The dark-haired man's 'aww' reached him all the way through the window. Duo almost grinned. He was *definitely* a cat-lover. Getting into the act, Duo brushed his cheek against the window, his complete adoring attention devoted to the man who looked about ready to jump out the door and sweep him into his arms. Duo was so intent on the violet-eyed 'softie' that he nearly fell when a hand moved over the glass, blocking his view. He scrambled for a second before he could catch his balance. The green-eyed one had interfered, and the strange human was staring at him, his narrow eyebrows lowered in that same, curious frown. And somehow, Duo had a sinking idea the human could see right through him.  
  
* * *  
TBC  
--notes--  
Yes, I'm crossing this over with something, but the only contact with the other anime will be through the cats' eyes. I needed a human. If you don't recognize the pair, don't worry about it. You don't need to know them to follow the fic. PS: I know this was short, it gets more involved from this point on. 


End file.
